Description

This route follows the right (south) edge of the main slab of the Piz Badille all the way to the top of the rock in four or five 50m pitches. It begins just left of the route "Sympathetic Mind Fuck", and one option is to start with that route and keep going (as Darin Lang mentioned).

Start from the left side of a ledge about 50' above the base of the rock. This area is less than 100' from the south edge of the face and is most easily reached by scrambling up from the right.

P1: Head more or less straight up the face, following cracks for pro. If you bear right near the top of this pitch you can hit a 2 bolt anchor (it is not clear to me if this is the belay for Sympathetic Mind Fuck or not). If you bear left you can arrange a good anchor on a ledge below a couple of overhangs.

P2: This pitch is probably the crux. Wander up through 2 sets of overhangs. This area is complicated and lacks clear features, but there is generally good pro to be had when negotiating the overhangs. Some loose rock is found in these overhangs, try to avoid this. One can easily venture onto terrain a bit harder than 5.7 on this pitch. We encountered a rusty piton and fixed hex on our ascent. One feature you want to head toward is a large horn sticking out from the skyline. This horn is about the size of a refrigerator and is passed on the next pitch.

P3: Continue upward through easier rock, passing to the right of the fridge-sized horn. Follow nice cracks up to a belay at a brand new 3/8" bolt with a chain (easily backed up with gear).

P4: You are nearing the apex of the face and will join "The Ridge" route on this pitch. Alternatively, if you start to traverse right, you can exit the rock and begin your descent early. However, it is recommended to stay near the ridge crest, passing to the right of some overhangs, and join the Ridge route at the narrow ridge.

Scramble easily up the ridge to the summit of the Piz Badille (as on "The Ridge"). You can descend either side of the rock.

Fun route on mostly solid and wonderfully featured rock. The crux may be in the route finding, as some of the early roofs may be a little tricky and you can find yourself surrounded by overhanging, loose blocks in a hurry if you're not careful. Linked up with "The Ridge" and walked off to the South. Didn't see any pins, just a stuck C4 about halfway up.